Who’s leading the charge?

Though the United States participated in the air strikes, it has been Europe that has led the war against Muammar Gaddafi. In early March, French President Nicolas Sarkozy surprised the rest of the European Union by recognizing the Libyan rebels as the country’s “new representatives.” Other EU nations joined France, forming an alliance against Gaddafi, with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen stating that more ships would be sent to the Mediterranean to closely monitor the situation.

Future of the Libyan War

The United States finally agreed to air strikes, but only after The United Nations Security Council approved a resolution authorizing a no-fly zone over Libya. President Obama has said that the US will support “efforts” in the region, but will not lead them. Obama has not divulged an exit strategy for American troops, but aides said that the US would likely cede control to the NATO alliance.

Mad Dog of the Middle East

Muammar Gaddafi was born in Libya in 1942. He came to power in 1969 after overthrowing King Idris I. This is not Gaddafi’s first time to run afoul of the United Nations. In 1988 he refused to extradite to Britain or the United States, two Libyan terrorists suspected of bombing Pan Am Flight 103 which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland. This refusal to extradite led to drastic U.N. sanctions. Gaddafi has been in power for 40 years. He is the longest serving ruler in the Arab world and the third longest serving ruler in the world.

Hamas and Fatah
Hamas, which is actually an acronym meaning “Islamic Resistance Movement,” won a majority of seats in the Palestinian Parliament in 2006. They defeated the rival group, Fatah, and established dominance especially in the Gaza region. Peace talks between Israel and Palestine are often halted over the questions of whether to negotiate with Hamas or Fatah.

Although Hamas funded schools, mosques, and health-care centers in Palestine, they are known politically for their commitment to establishing an Islamic state in place of the divided territory that is now Israel and Palestine. They are also notorious for sponsoring suicide bombings directed towards the state of Israel.

The Gaza Flotilla Attack
The conflict is frequently in the news, but it most recently gained international attention following the Gaza flotilla attack on May 31. One of Israel’s main strategies for weakening the control of Hamas in the region is by limiting the flow of people and goods in and out of Gaza. There is a military blockade which requires all people to go through checkpoints and consent to searching.

The Gaza flotilla attack occurred when one group of activists attempted to breach the blockade and deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Turkey is now calling for an international investigation into the matter since the nine people killed in the Gaza flotilla attack were Turkish citizens.

Though the latest turmoils in Thailand have calmed down, some people state that it might only be a question of time, when the next riots will take place. The Civil War in Thailand has its roots in charges that the recent Parliament elections were not legitimate and protesters, called the Red Shirts, were demanding new elections. Their charge is that the current government is highly representative of the richer segments of Bangkok society and leave the poor in cities and rural areas without representation.

Protests

Protests against the current government began to take a toll as over 80 people were killed in the streets and the army had to be brought in to attempt to restore order. The Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, managed to stay clear of a vote of no-confidence brought against him by opponents in the government. He refuses to set up new elections until peace has been restored and the protests are brought under control. The protesters support the Puea Thai Party, which has attempted to thwart the Army’s use of force in stopping the protests in the capital.

Future

As one of the largest countries in Southeast Asia, there is much doubt that the government will be able to solve its own problems. The gulf that is growing between the people and the government may continue whether or not this current protest movement is stopped. To date, over 1,500 people have been injured in the course of the protests and the unrest continues to grow. Accusations continue to fly back and forth between the protesters and the government. The protesters claim that the government army has used unnecessary force in dealing with protesters along with setting up their leaders to be arrested illegally. The government claims the faction of the protesters are using terrorism.

Right from the beginning, zu Guttenberg made clear that he stands for political directness and does not hesitate to speak his mind. Therefore, people were not wondering when he described the ongoings and involvements of German soldiers in a different way than his predecessor: he spoke of warlike events in Afghanistan.

Former defense minister Franz Josef Jung never mentioned any wordcombinations related to “war” when the military tasks of the German Bundeswehr were discussed. Of course, war in a distinct meaning can only take place among states due to the law of nations; but to be honest, it is quite euphemistic not to make us of “war” given the fact that even some German soldiers felt and talked of war in Afghanistan.

Zu Guttenberg also had to deal with the case of Colonel Georg Klein, who ordered the strike against the Taliban back in September 4, which caused the death of 69 Taliban fighters and 30 civilians, according to the Afghan government.  This is probably the most deadful military attack with German participation after World War II. The defense minister came to the conclusion that the bombing of two fuel trucks was an appropriate action in spite of some procedural errors.

The attitude of zu Guttenberg was greeted by German soldiers who liked his straightforward words but some European ministers still found that the bombing was a mistake. Especially the utterance of “warlike events” in Afghanistan was not accepted by politicians ot the SPD, the social democtrats in Germany. Only the future can show us, if the rather new view on the ongoings in Afghanistan will finally bring a change. After about 30 years of terrorism and war (or warlike events), the country needs peace.